Dodge adds 2009 R/T and SE to Challenger lineup

Posted Tue Mar 18 2008 11:05 PM by Kenneth Hall

No matter how you feel about car manufacturers recycling their icons of the past, there’s no denying that the interest shown in the Challenger has been phenomenal. While there has been a lot of information forthcoming about the new flagship SRT8 muscle car, today Dodge unveiled the specs of its base and mid-range Challenger models ahead of their official unveiling at this week’s New York Auto Show.

The Challenger will come in a total of three variants: The mid-range Dodge Challenger R/T , the flagship Challenger SRT8 (which thankfully gets a manual box for 2009) and the entry-level Challenger SE. The cars are differed by their engines and equipment levels but all feature premium sound, Bluetooth connectivity, remote start and digital satellite radio as standard.

The R/T features a 5.7L HEMI V8 engine with a five-speed automatic transmission that puts out 370hp and 540Nm of torque. The HEMI has been upgraded for 2009 to return a 5% increase in fuel economy and an almost 10% increase in horsepower, and the 0-60mph sprint is done in less than six seconds. The R/T also has the option of a six-speed manual box which has slightly higher power figures than the auto R/T, and will have to be sufficient for performance fans until Dodge releases the manual SRT8 next year.

The base SE model doesn't get the iconic HEMI engine, but is instead powered by a 3.5L V6 with a standard four speed-auto. The lack of a manual transmission is disappointing, and the engine’s peak output is only 250hp and 339Nm of torque, making it significantly slower than its bigger brothers.

Gallery: 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and SE

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Reader Comments

Wed Mar 19 2008 6:50 AM
Sir Yappie says

thats all well and good but when are we going to get confirmation that this car will come down to Oz ?
Wed Mar 19 2008 7:24 AM
chris says

if you're looking for confirmation, expect to be waiting a while. GM hasn't confirmed the camaro and if i'm not mistaken, the mustang isnt sold down under either.
Wed Mar 19 2008 8:52 AM
danny says

I will buy a SRT8 Challenger if it come to australia.
Please dodge send it down under. you need a flagship car here to strengthen the dodge brand and thank you for putting a car on the road that has some real style
Wed Mar 19 2008 9:42 AM
Gus says

Yeah, I could see the big Challenger selling really well in Australia. It looks right out of Mad Max (sorry for the cliche), and Australians seem to love their horsepower and big V8's as much as we do.
Wed Mar 19 2008 5:00 PM
Sir Yappie says

thanks for the replies guys...

The Mustang is sold here as a left hand drive only car.....as a special import (not grey import like some of the over the top Japanese sports cars)...there are some tuning houses and dedicated Mustang Importers that convert the drive from LHD to RHD so they are on our side of the road and road legal.
All up for a Top Spec Mustang we are paying somewhere in the vicinity of AU$200,000 (US$180,000)...a bit over the top considering we can pick up an M3 or RS4 for the same money, let alone a HSV GTS (Pontiac R8 GTS for you guys) with a 7.2ltr V8 under the hood. for half as much.

The Challenger could be a good seller here but the price needs to be competetive. People dont mind paying money for good things, just as long as they are aware that it is worth every cent they are paying.
And without myself being too Cliche, American cars arent exactly renowned for their finesse, driveability and build quality.
Wed Mar 19 2008 5:25 PM
Gus says

Yeah, but paint that thing matte black and stick a blower through the hood... :)
Somebody needs to do a Photoshop of that, and don't forget the scrappy dog...

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